"This is ridiculous!" huffed Rodney quietly. "We're treating him like he's a criminal!"

Rodney, Teyla and Ronan watched from a corner of the infirmary as John stood next to his bed, surrounded by 4 guards; one of them handcuffing John's hands behind his back.

"I agree Rodney." whispered Teyla, "But we know what the Colonel is capable of. This is just to ensure his safety."

"This is a bad idea." stated Ronan.

Carson stood by his office door watching then walked over to John's team.

"Keep an eye on him." He nodded towards John. "He's developed a slight fever since last night and his most recent blood test has shown that the substance in his blood stream has started to break down."

"This substance, it is to blame for Col Sheppard's unrest?" asked Teyla.

"Aye, I believe it is one of the reasons the Colonel is like he is. But he was gone for so long, we don't know what else was done to him."

"Should he not then remain in the infirmary, Carson?"

Carson sighed. "Aye, He needs to come back in a few hours so I can check on him, but for now he's doin' no good here. He needs to be out there in familiar surroundings. We've gotten nowhere trying to trigger his memory with him tied to a bed. This could help him."

"Or cause him to freak out again." muttered Ronan.

"Yeah, " whispered Rodney. "What'd he say Teyla, that you killed the children and his family? What's that about?"

"Rodney not now, we will understand once John is able to talk about it." asserted Teyla.

"Yeah for now, we'll just have to deal with a violent sociopathic leader who hates us and wants to wash in our blood... Goodie." muttered Rodney.

The guards stepped away from John surrounding him in a circular formation.

The lead guard turned to the group in the corner and nodded. They were ready to go.

They moved towards the door, John walking in the middle of them eyes straight ahead. His team followed behind them. Hoping that once he saw his quarters that maybe something would click and "their" Sheppard would start to emerge.

ooooo

When the healer had told him about being moved out of the infirmary Soldier hid the darkness that was forming on his face and smiled at him thanking him.

The man had looked thoroughly confused over the thanks.

Now he was being marched down a hallway like a prisoner being led to execution. He didn't believe these people would kill him; not yet anyways. They had interrogated him about Raylan and wanted to know more about Castima. Soldier had ignored their questions. He would not give up his friend and mentor to the Lanteans. He would die before he did that.

The guards that surrounded him seemed uncomfortable, like they preferred to be anywhere but guarding him at the moment. Soldier took note of that.

During his march, he noticed Lanteans standing off to the side of the hallways whispering to each other, watching him, pointing at him.

Soldier felt the rage boiling inside of him. He would not retaliate though.

Not yet…Not yet.

ooooo

Shortly they arrived at a doorway in a quiet corridor. Two guards stayed at the door as the other two entered into the room with Soldier followed by his "team".

The lights automatically came on in the room. Soldier did not notice the guards and the "team" giving each other knowing looks at that.

A guard uncuffed him then stepped back, hand tightening on the weapon he held against his chest. Soldier pretended not to notice.

He slowly walked around the room stretching as he did. He touched an item here and there.

"So this is my new prison? My home in Castima is much cosier."

"Castima was where you were held, John. This is your home." smiled Teyla.

Soldier looked at her his eyes blank, and then he smiled and continued perusing the area.

"Why all of this?" he asked "You weren't so kind to me the last time you held me prisoner. "

"We are your friends Col Sheppard, we have never held you prisoner."

Soldier, his voice empty of emotion looked at her. "Yes, you did. You kept me away from my people…you kept me away just long enough."

The way John spoke caused shivers down Teyla's spine. She glanced at Ronan and Rodney who looked like they felt the same way.

Teyla walked over to the Johnny Cash poster over the bed. "Do you recall this man, Col Sheppard? You call him the man in black."

Soldier chuckled. "Why do you call me Shepard? I'm not a Shepard. I am Soldier."

"You're John Sheppard. That's your name." growled Ronan from where he stood leaning against the wall by the door.

Soldier just blinked at the warrior then turned looking randomly through a book on the table.

"That's "War and Peace". You've been trying to read it. Though it's taking you a ridiculous long time to actually fi…." Rodney caught himself. He was babbling. He knew it.

Soldier blinked again his eyes slightly unfocused as he looked around the room. "Could be a little brighter in here."

The lights in the room automatically flared and grew brighter.

Soldier frowned, eyes narrowing; his mind racing trying to sort through what had just occurred.

Rodney coughed and stepped forward hoping to distract John from his obvious line of thinking.

He pointed at some dvds on the nightstand next to the bed. "Uh, see these are some of the movies you like to watch. We uh..we watch the movies together..all of us…in the movie room…"

No response from John.

Rodney gestured, "The washroom is just around the corner. You've got beer in the fridge." He patted a bag in the corner of the room. "And your golf clubs are right here."

"Gulf clubs?"

"No Sheppard. "Golf..golf clubs." You love the game. Told me you played it a lot back home when you had the chance."

"Yes, yes, you've protected us all, but you do occasionally have some down time!"

"Protected you? Don't be ridiculous. Why would I want to protect you? I'm talking about my own people."

"We are your people, Sheppard! Can't you get that through your thick head? What the hell did they do to you?" shouted Rodney.

Anger flared in Soldier's eyes and he took a step towards the insolent man. Rodney took two steps back and the two guards in the room stepped forward hands tightening on their guns.

Soldier smiled cunningly, his hands held in mock surrender.

"Relax Rodney." He smiled and turned to the others. "Teyla, Ronan. Why don't we all just relax?"

His team stared at him at odds with their feelings. It felt good to hear him say their names, but John's eyes told another story, that he did not know them..or cared to know them.

Ronan held his blaster low in his hands. "We know you don't remember us, Sheppard."

Soldier held the back of a chair as he stared at the warrior. Smiling he tilted his head slightly and squinted his eyes. "Sure is bright in here..."

Then he thought as hard as he could Lights off!

The lights in the room automatically clicked off leaving the room in complete darkness. Ronan growled and raised his blaster aiming it where John had stood and just as he was about to fire he got a chair to the face for his troubles.

Chaos ensued.

Soldier had thrown the chair he was touching in the direction of the warrior quite pleased with himself when he heard it connect.

"John!" shouted Teyla

"Oh no..no..no!" quaked Rodney crouching low to the ground hoping to make less of a mark of himself.

Crouching down Soldier ran straight towards where the nearest guard had stood. His mark true, as he rammed into the guard; at the same time grabbing the man's arm, holding it high and twisting it. He heard the guard gasp in pain and surprise, the gun going off before falling from his hand. Soldier grabbed blindly for it catching it on the first attempt. He turned in the general direction of the doors and "thought" them locked.

The warrior fired off an errant shot towards the sound of pain the guard had made and the spark of lights made from the fired bullets; but his shot was slightly too wide and instead took out the other guard who fell to the darkened room's floor with a gasp and a thud.

Soldier smirked at the shouts of the guards outside the door trying to get in. He moved against the farthest wall keeping low, surprisingly quiet as he stepped over and maneuvered around obstacles in his way.

"Sheppard?!" croaked Rodney fright in his voice over not knowing the whereabouts of John.

Teyla had found the light switch but clicking it on and off resulted in no light. "The lights are not working" she breathed.

"Quiet everyone! Quiet!" hissed the warrior; head turning left and right trying to pick up any noise John made to pinpoint his location.

By then Soldier was where he wanted to be; a large vent he had seen as he had walked around the room; large enough for him to fit in, for him to escape in.

He threw back the vent cover and dived in missing being zapped by the warrior's weapon by inches. He quickly pulled himself along trying to get away from the entrance of the vent just in case the hairy mad man decided to dive in after him to shoot him.

The noise of the vent cover being torn from the wall echoed in the dark room.

"The ventilation system!" shouted Rodney. The lights flickered back on at that moment and the locked doors to John's quarters swished open, the guards that had been banging on the door stumbling in guns raised.

Ronan was already hurdling John's bed and crouched in front of the vent's entrance. John was gone.

He stood and swore in Satedan then turned back to the room and the damage that had taken place in less than 30 seconds. He turned to Teyla and Rodney's stares, to one unconscious guard and the other rolling around on the ground holding his arm and moaning that Sheppard had taken his gun.

One of the guards that had stumbled in kept asking, "Where is he? Where is he?"

Teyla stared at Ronan then Rodney. Col. Sheppard was armed and as dangerous as they knew he was. This was a big mistake.

"I..I can find him." stuttered Rodney pulling out his tablet and heading towards the doors. He pushed past the guards still pointing their guns at no one. "He's gone you morons." huffed Rodney as he strode away.

Ronan stormed from the room his blaster armed and ready, growling " I knew this was a bad idea!".

Teyla tapped her comm.

"Mr. Woolsey?"

Yes Teyla? How is Col Sheppard?

"Col Sheppard…has escaped. He is armed."

What the hell happened?

" I am sorry sir, we misjudged the situation. We misjudged him."

There was a moment of silence then a sigh dripping in anger and resignation.

We have to put the city in lockdown. We can't have him running around the way he is.

Teyla nodded to herself in agreement. "Ronan has started searching for the Colonel. I will accompany Rodney and we will search for him too."

I'll start assigning search teams; Woolsey out.

Teyla headed towards the lab where she was sure Rodney would be; leaving the two guards to deal with their downed men. Woolsey was already on the city's communication system stating that a lockdown of the city would occur and that no one but military personnel would be allowed in the hallways. On the comm line exclusive to the military personnel, he stated that no one under any circumstances should try to confront Col Sheppard, but to wait for back up.

ooooo

Meanwhile, in the ventilation system, Soldier blinked rapidly while he continued to quickly make his way forward. He gripped his newly accquired gun tightly in his hand. He was having some trouble catching his breath and the ventilation shaft seemed to shift and dip in front of him. He swiped at the sweat on his face then shook himself and continued forward.

TBC

For some reason this chapter was really hard to write. I feel I lost the voice of the characters along the way. I hope you enjoyed it though. I will endeavor to keep the "voices" going.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.